It’s when your immune system believes that part of your body is a foreign entity and attacks itself. Your immune system’s job is to keep away foreign invaders that can negatively impact your health. That’s its job.

But, sometimes your immune system can be too diligent in warding off invaders. There are instances where your immune system will believe that your colon is a foreign entity and attack it – leading to inflammation, pain, and serious symptoms (this is the case with an autoimmune disease called Ulcerative Colitis). Or, it might believe that your joints are foreign and attack those (this is the case with an autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis).

Can You Cure An Autoimmune Disease?

Autoimmune diseases are known to be lifelong conditions that can be managed and treated.

According to modern scientific literature, autoimmune diseases are NOT curable – instead, they usually have periods of flare-ups (where symptoms worsen) and periods of remission (where symptoms are less intense or not noticeable at all).

While this is the case, there is recent literature that is discussing the use of alternative treatments (such as stem cell therapy) that has been shown to completely reverse autoimmune diseases (not just put them into remission).

“Stem cell-based therapies offer many exciting possibilities for the development of novel treatments, and perhaps even cures, for autoimmune diseases.”

Other research has concluded that factors that trigger, perpetuate and exacerbate autoimmune disease are: modern Western diet, chronic stress, changes in gut microbiota, environmental toxins, sleep deprivation, vitamin D deficiency, reduced sun exposure, and other unidentified aspects of the modern lifestyle.